Fulham hammer sorry Wolves

A hat-trick from Pavel Pogrebnyak and a brace from Clint Dempsey steered Fulham to a comprehensive and well-deserved 5-0 win over a woeful Wolves side at Craven Cottage.

PUBLISHED: 16:30, Sun, Mar 4, 2012

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Pavel Pogrebnyak (left centre) [PA]

A hat-trick from Pavel Pogrebnyak and a brace from Clint Dempsey steered Fulham to a comprehensive and well-deserved 5-0 win over a woeful Wolves side at Craven Cottage.

Wolves had fought back from a 2-0 half-time deficit to draw at Newcastle in new manager Terry Connor's first match in charge last weekend, but a repeat never looked likely in west London as his team conceded three second-half goals to slip back into the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League, with Martin Jol's Fulham side recording a third straight win.

Pogrebnyak took his tally to five in three games since joining on loan from Stuttgart in January while Dempsey now has 12 for the season, with a host of other Fulham chances going begging as Wolves looked sluggish in defence and toothless in attack.

The home side's dominance eventually translated into the opener in the 36th minute, although in somewhat controversial circumstances.

Mousa Dembele worked space for a shot which referee Mike Jones felt had brushed off Richard Stearman. Stearman was unhappy with the decision but Duff whipped in the resulting corner for Pogrebnyak to head home from close range.

Pogrebnyak doubled Fulham's advantage eight minutes later after he was teed up by Andrew Johnson.

After the break Danny Murphy's sublime pass was collected by Dempsey and he rounded goalkeeper Wayne Hennesey to slot home.

Welshman Hennesey was beaten again in the 61st minute when he could not get hold of a Johnson shot, which squirmed out of his grasp allowing Pogrebnyak to complete his a 'perfect' left-foot, right-foot, header hat-trick.

Johnson then hit the crossbar with a curling right-footed shot and Dembele, Damien Duff and Dempsey all had attempts on goal before the latter rifled in his second.